how to tell a story your audience doesn't want to hear
During a recent virtual public workshop, a participant raised an interesting question. Paraphrased, it went something like this:
"I can completely see the value of what you're teaching, but how do I tell a story that my audience doesn't want to hear, or doesn't want to focus on right now?"
My initial reaction was surprise. Why would we share something our audience isn't interested in? After a few follow-up questions, it became clear that the person they were communicating to was expecting an update framed in a particular way. However, the exploratory analysis and resulting findings pointed in a different direction than the agreed-upon strategy.
I realized the challenge wasn't necessarily that the audience didn't want to hear the story. More likely, they were expecting a different one. When that's the case, acknowledging those expectations before introducing new findings helps your audience make the transition from what they thought they would hear to what the data is actually saying.
This is a difficult situation. You need to understand why the audience holds those expectations, while still surfacing what the analysis shows. With that in mind, those were the thoughts I began with in my reply:
Understand audience constraints. Resistance isn't always a sign someone is ignoring the data; they may have priorities or constraints that weren't visible during the analysis. If you can, talk with your stakeholders directly to understand their thinking. If you can't, ask for input from others in similar roles. They may be able to help you understand why the audience is so invested in the story they expected. Understanding that context helps you proceed thoughtfully, with your audience's perspective in mind, and may even turn a skeptic into a supporter before you're in the room.
Get clear on your message. This is where taking the time to form a Big Idea—a single sentence that captures your point of view and, in particular, what's at stake for your audience—helps. Thinking through the benefits or risks depending on how they respond to your recommendation is what makes it feel relevant and clear. (For more on the Big Idea, including how AI can act as a thought partner to help compose your idea, check out this post.)
Consider your framing. If the topic is controversial, think about how to position the message constructively, and whether to soften any recommendations. Rather than "we've seen this in the data, so you must take this action," try something closer to: "we'd like to share some insights, outline the options, and get your thoughts."
Separate findings from recommendation. An audience can accept what the data shows while still disagreeing with the proposed action. Keeping the two distinct creates space for a more productive conversation.
So how do you tell a story that your audience doesn't want to hear?
By first making sure it's a story they understand, care about, and see as relevant to the decisions in front of them. If the content has been tailored to the specific audience and gives them a clear sense of why the message matters—whether in terms of opportunity, risk, or impact—even a difficult message is more likely to be received in the right spirit.
If this scenario sounds familiar, fellow data storytellers Alli and Ryan dig into a related challenge on a recent podcast episode:what to do when a leader asks you to find data to prove them right. It's a useful listen if you're facing something similar.
The goal isn't to avoid an uncomfortable truth, but to make it clear, relevant, and useful in service of the organization's broader success.
